What do you think?
Rate this book
Mouseton Abbey
Mouseton Abbey: The Missing Diamond
An adorable tale about the mice of Mouseton Abbey!
It's Cheesemas at "Mouseton Abbey." And at Cheesemas, the Mouseton family pass around the Great Big Cheesy Diamond and everyone gets to make a wish. But this year, there's a problem. The house is clean, the feast is being prepared, but the Great Big Cheesy Diamond is missing!
Join Lord Mouseton and his servants as they search for the missing diamond. Will Cheesemas be ruined? Or will they find the Cheesy Diamond in time?
With beautiful, hand-knitted characters and ornate, illustrated backgrounds, the unique visual style of this book will delight young readers and adults alike. Nick Page's charming and witty story makes this book perfect for reading with young children!
Features & Benefits: Beautiful, hand-knitted characters and stunning illustrations bring the story to life. Witty, charming tale of an adorable family of mice and their entertaining mishaps. An ideal book for adults and children to share together.
Devised by Joanna Bicknell; illustrations by Tim Hutchinson; Mice by Jo Bishop, Caroline hart and Carole Meredith; designed by Annie Simpson; photography by Andy Snaith; research by Hayley Down.
It's Cheesemas at "Mouseton Abbey." And at Cheesemas, the Mouseton family pass around the Great Big Cheesy Diamond and everyone gets to make a wish. But this year, there's a problem. The house is clean, the feast is being prepared, but the Great Big Cheesy Diamond is missing!
Join Lord Mouseton and his servants as they search for the missing diamond. Will Cheesemas be ruined? Or will they find the Cheesy Diamond in time?
With beautiful, hand-knitted characters and ornate, illustrated backgrounds, the unique visual style of this book will delight young readers and adults alike. Nick Page's charming and witty story makes this book perfect for reading with young children!
Features & Benefits: Beautiful, hand-knitted characters and stunning illustrations bring the story to life. Witty, charming tale of an adorable family of mice and their entertaining mishaps. An ideal book for adults and children to share together.
Devised by Joanna Bicknell; illustrations by Tim Hutchinson; Mice by Jo Bishop, Caroline hart and Carole Meredith; designed by Annie Simpson; photography by Andy Snaith; research by Hayley Down.
32 pages, Hardcover
First published September 1, 2013
5 people are currently reading
146 people want to read
About the author
Nick Page
199 books47 followersNick Page lives in Oxfordshire, UK, with his wife Claire, their three daughters and a dog called Bill.
As well as writing books, he works with a number of campaign groups and NGOs. He is also a popular speaker for churches, church weekends and other events. events, etc.
His main focus is on church history – particularly the early church. Recent work includes A Nearly Infallible History of Christianity, and the Longest Week trilogy.
As well as writing many books for adults (or at least those who think they are adult) he has also written many books for children.
As well as writing books, he works with a number of campaign groups and NGOs. He is also a popular speaker for churches, church weekends and other events. events, etc.
His main focus is on church history – particularly the early church. Recent work includes A Nearly Infallible History of Christianity, and the Longest Week trilogy.
As well as writing many books for adults (or at least those who think they are adult) he has also written many books for children.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 76 reviews
November 23, 2017
Such gorgeous illustrations
August 10, 2013
This is absolutely gorgeous. Between the obvious links to a television show that shall remain nameless, the delightful knitted mice, and the writing, which made me giggle on every page, it's absolutely priceless.
I do rather wish that knitting patterns for the mice were included, but I rather hope that I will be able to work out how to crochet them eventually. :-)
Meanwhile, I strongly hope that there will be more Mouseton Abbey books on the way.
I do rather wish that knitting patterns for the mice were included, but I rather hope that I will be able to work out how to crochet them eventually. :-)
Meanwhile, I strongly hope that there will be more Mouseton Abbey books on the way.
March 30, 2018
Nothing at all like "Downton Abbey," but includes some A+ cheese puns and adorable knitted mice.
September 14, 2013
I just happened to see this book while out shopping yesterday - knitted mice, cute story and Downton Abbey references? Yes please. But I put it back on the shelf, trying to resist...until my dad surprised me with it when we got home. The story is good, if a little "cheesy", but of course I think that is what the author was going for. The illustrations are really sweet and unique, and I think this will be a fun book to share. The only thing I was a little disappointed with was the lack of a nod to Alan Dart, as the knitted mice are clearly made from his patterns. Cute book to add to the collection!
April 16, 2015
Cute story. Totally got it because I am a Downton Abbey fan. :) Cannot wait to read it to my niece.
February 18, 2022
The bookstore knew what they were doing when they placed this book face out on the shelf. Adorable little hand-knit mice dressed like Downton Abbey characters made me practically throw the book in my cart. I didn't even look through it before buying (not like me.)
The premise: Lord Mouseton loses his Great Big Cheesy Diamond and, with the mouse children, begins a bumbling caper throughout Mouseton Abbey looking for it.
All the characters are named after types of cheese. Ex: Roquefort, Earl of Mouseton. The knit mice were photographed in various positions and superimposed over drawing/water color backgrounds. It's entertaining, but a little wordy for a children's book. In addition, some of the words are over busy backgrounds which is not easy on the eyes.
Overall, it's fun for adult fans of Downton Abbey who will relate to some of the characters, and an entertaining adventure for children.
The premise: Lord Mouseton loses his Great Big Cheesy Diamond and, with the mouse children, begins a bumbling caper throughout Mouseton Abbey looking for it.
All the characters are named after types of cheese. Ex: Roquefort, Earl of Mouseton. The knit mice were photographed in various positions and superimposed over drawing/water color backgrounds. It's entertaining, but a little wordy for a children's book. In addition, some of the words are over busy backgrounds which is not easy on the eyes.
Overall, it's fun for adult fans of Downton Abbey who will relate to some of the characters, and an entertaining adventure for children.
December 8, 2019
This book is a great book for all students! It takes place at a famous castle where a family of mouses gather for Christmas. As Christmas tradition, the family passes around a cheesmas diamond so that everyone could make a wish. However, when they were preparing to pass it around, the diamond goes missing! Continue to read the book to find out what happens! This is a great book to read to students to keep their curiosity and exposure to different literature alive. This would be a great book to introduce the strategy of inferencing. I would go over what inferencing is using an anchor chart and infer using the details in the book. Since it is a mystery, it helps the students understand how to infer and relates it to everyday life.
December 17, 2018
The mice in Mouseton Abbey are caught in catastrophe when forgetful Lord Mouseton loses the precious Cheesy Diamond that is part of their Cheesemas tradition. Where could he have lost it?
(Also look for the other things that are lost throughout the book's pictures; they are listed at the beginning of the book)
(Also look for the other things that are lost throughout the book's pictures; they are listed at the beginning of the book)
June 26, 2018
The dolls/art is freaking adorable. At first I thought the story may be dry but by the end I was loving it and thanks to goodreads I now know there are more for me to find so I can share them with my daughter.
July 24, 2019
This is super cute. It's not a parody of Downton Abbey; the characters don't correspond to DA characters. The only connection is the estate and the makeup of the family. However, the illustrations are adorable (handmade dolls posed in illustrations), and the story very silly and sweet.
July 15, 2020
Such a cute book! Although it’s not directly related to Downton Abbey you can definitely see the inspiration from the show! Highly recommend for fans of the show and those looking for cute children’s picture books!
March 8, 2021
This can get a bit long, especially when your 3-year old insists you read it twice in a row. But the mouse names really make up for that! Funnily, he is fascinated by the "brief history of Mouseton Abbey," at the front of the book.
November 3, 2017
a very cute children's book!
March 5, 2018
I love the cheese puns, but the rest of the book is a solid "meh" for me.
April 14, 2018
Very cute children's book. I love the illustrations mixed with the small knitted characters.
February 2, 2019
Absolutely adorable!! It is so cute! I love it!
January 14, 2020
Just a cute kids book and uses downton abbey as it's basis.
March 3, 2020
This book just seemed to contrived to me after the set-up of Downton Abbey. The knit characters are static. The pictures are static. The story line just isn't that good. Not my style.
March 6, 2020
I loved the little knitted mice, wonderful illustrations, and cute cheese-related names for the mice!
December 30, 2021
Cute little book! I am a Downton lover so I really got it for myself. I expected more references to the show but I actually think my 5 year old might like it!
November 17, 2022
Such a silly and adorable book. Lots of cheese puns!!
October 24, 2023
This is such a fun read aloud picture book, especially if you so the Brit accents for the kids.
March 29, 2024
All the cheese-related puns. 💛
March 3, 2025
Amusing satirical takeoff on "Downtown." I read to my 5 year old granddaughter.
June 7, 2025
Very cute.
January 7, 2026
i read this to my kids everyday. yes, every. day. we have the song memorized and all the items lord mouseton has lost. now to get my hands on the next story ….
September 28, 2014
I will also do a video review here at my channel: http://www.youtube.com/magicofbooks
"Mouseton Abbey: The Missing Diamond" by Joanna Bicknell and Nick Page is a children's picture book that follows the Mouseton family on Cheesemas Eve as they search for the missing Great Big Cheesy Diamond that grants wishes every year.
I'm a huge fan of the "Downton Abbey" series, so obviously I had to check out this cute little children's picture book (I think there's another book called "Downton Tabby" that I'd like to get in the future). It's cute, it's light, it's fun, it's basic. It doesn't have any sort of life lesson for children. The whole book is done with this crochet mice with artwork displayed behind them to put them in various scenes. I love that childlike quality to the artwork style of this book, which makes it very sweet. It reminds me of when I was a child and I would play with my toys and sometimes draw up some sort of background to go behind my toys. A very imaginative concept, which I think works. The artwork is just very basic, but there's quite a bit of detail if you look around (you can spot cheese and mice heads all over the place, especially if you look at the decorations in a room). It's not all neat and tidy. If anything, the artwork is kind of childish and hectic---as if drawn quickly. Lines don't always connect, color doesn't always stay in the lines. So it was all very cute. I guess I'm a bit upset that this book didn't have some more "Downton Abbey" inside jokes for the adults who might be reading this book. None of the actual character names are taken (all the mice are named after various cheeses). The one thing I did laugh about was in the character descriptions right at the beginning that reads as follows: "Great Uncle Gorgonzola and Great Aunt Haloumi---Lord Mouseton's relatives, although no one's quite sure how." I think that was the only little remark at "Downton Abbey" because sometimes random characters pop up on the show and they are in someway related but it's never actually explained in full how they are related. So I laughed out loud (literally) with that little joke.
Overall, a nice, child friendly book. Like I said, it doesn't teach any sort of life lesson, but still a simple story with easy words to follow that kids will immensely enjoy. But yeah, if you are an adult, like me, don't expect full blown "Downton Abbey" jokes and parallels. The title is about all you get.
"Mouseton Abbey: The Missing Diamond" by Joanna Bicknell and Nick Page is a children's picture book that follows the Mouseton family on Cheesemas Eve as they search for the missing Great Big Cheesy Diamond that grants wishes every year.
I'm a huge fan of the "Downton Abbey" series, so obviously I had to check out this cute little children's picture book (I think there's another book called "Downton Tabby" that I'd like to get in the future). It's cute, it's light, it's fun, it's basic. It doesn't have any sort of life lesson for children. The whole book is done with this crochet mice with artwork displayed behind them to put them in various scenes. I love that childlike quality to the artwork style of this book, which makes it very sweet. It reminds me of when I was a child and I would play with my toys and sometimes draw up some sort of background to go behind my toys. A very imaginative concept, which I think works. The artwork is just very basic, but there's quite a bit of detail if you look around (you can spot cheese and mice heads all over the place, especially if you look at the decorations in a room). It's not all neat and tidy. If anything, the artwork is kind of childish and hectic---as if drawn quickly. Lines don't always connect, color doesn't always stay in the lines. So it was all very cute. I guess I'm a bit upset that this book didn't have some more "Downton Abbey" inside jokes for the adults who might be reading this book. None of the actual character names are taken (all the mice are named after various cheeses). The one thing I did laugh about was in the character descriptions right at the beginning that reads as follows: "Great Uncle Gorgonzola and Great Aunt Haloumi---Lord Mouseton's relatives, although no one's quite sure how." I think that was the only little remark at "Downton Abbey" because sometimes random characters pop up on the show and they are in someway related but it's never actually explained in full how they are related. So I laughed out loud (literally) with that little joke.
Overall, a nice, child friendly book. Like I said, it doesn't teach any sort of life lesson, but still a simple story with easy words to follow that kids will immensely enjoy. But yeah, if you are an adult, like me, don't expect full blown "Downton Abbey" jokes and parallels. The title is about all you get.
May 30, 2014
This is a fun little picture book that fans of Downton Abbey will totally eat up! Mouseton Abbey, which is clearly based on the show, introduces readers to the family and servants of the estate. It is very cute in its creativity, with all of the knitted mice having names relating to cheese. The characters also match up quite nicely with the characters on the show.
In this particular book, which I am assuming will be the first in a series, Roquefort, the Earl of Mouston, makes his way throughout the house helping the readers be introduced to all of the characters. Along the way, he tends to create a little bit of trouble and messes in each place, the main staircase, the kitchen, the governess' classroom, etc.
This makes things even more interesting as everyone is preparing for Cheesemas, and Roquefort needs to make sure an get the Cheese Diamond ready for an annual family tradition for Cheesemas dinner. Unfortunately, the diamond has gone missing, and Roquefort finds himself going through the house trying to get everyone, who is now worried what sort of mess he will make in their space, to help in the search.
I thought the book was really fun. I would be interested to see where future books take readers.
In this particular book, which I am assuming will be the first in a series, Roquefort, the Earl of Mouston, makes his way throughout the house helping the readers be introduced to all of the characters. Along the way, he tends to create a little bit of trouble and messes in each place, the main staircase, the kitchen, the governess' classroom, etc.
This makes things even more interesting as everyone is preparing for Cheesemas, and Roquefort needs to make sure an get the Cheese Diamond ready for an annual family tradition for Cheesemas dinner. Unfortunately, the diamond has gone missing, and Roquefort finds himself going through the house trying to get everyone, who is now worried what sort of mess he will make in their space, to help in the search.
I thought the book was really fun. I would be interested to see where future books take readers.
January 18, 2014
I saw this in Barnes & Noble and skimmed really quickly. Enough that I smiled, but I had no time to read all the text. So now that the library has a copy, I managed time to read. First, the crocheted mice are adorable. Definitely my favorite part. Well, favorite right up there with their names! Hilarious! As a cheese lover, I very much enjoyed that. The story was all right. A little eh, but not bad. Kids don't need to be (and I would hope aren't!) familiar with its origin to get the humor. There is plenty of kid-aimed humor that works in any setting and will certainly please the school age crowd. And the historical setting flows just fine; I don't think it would detract from the kids following what's happening.
It's not fabulous and I personally don't think it is award winning. But it is funny. A humorous addition to the extras for the Downton fans, while also being a simple picture book kids can enjoy.
It's not fabulous and I personally don't think it is award winning. But it is funny. A humorous addition to the extras for the Downton fans, while also being a simple picture book kids can enjoy.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 76 reviews